1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to merchandising display assemblies and, more particularly, to a merchandising display assembly mounted to and extending from an upwardly extending support surface and which includes an elongated and substantially flattened or planar display surface area attached in a freely swinging manner to a single upper horizontally extending members and being spaced a distance from the vertical support, the display surface area being capable of supporting volumes of smaller sized merchandise.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Shelving structures and related display units for displaying merchandise are a common sight in any type of store or commercial establishment. The desire of any merchant is and always has been to maximize the available shelf or display capacity within the limited confines of the store. Vertically extending pegboard surfaces are particularly effective for displaying small, high volume merchandise on hooks and other horizontally extending fasteners.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,677,415, issued to Radek, teaches a cantilever merchandise support including an article supporting hanger bar or bracket which is adapted to be attached to a perforated board or panel by a plurality of legs extending from a mounting plate. The hanger bar or bracket portion is in each instance an integrally formed single piece which is mounted to extend outwardly from the vertical surface and upon which the merchandise is supported. The disadvantage of cantilevered merchandise supports such as those taught by Radek is that their merchandise carrying capacity is limited to the bar or bracket portion. The axial length which such supports extend is likewise limited such that they are unable to utilize to any great extent the air space extending from the pegboard or other surface for displaying merchandise.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,014,954, issued to Merl, discloses an adjustable display arm assembly securable to a vertical support structure which includes a pair of nesting segments selectively adjustable at longitudinal positions to establish an overall length of the display arm. The Merl device is somewhat of an improvement over Radek in that the display arm can be extended outward a greater horizontal distance, however its merchandise carrying ability is still limited to the display arm itself and it does not include any additional bracketry for carrying large volumes of merchandise.
Applicant's preceding application Ser. No. 08/888,558, filed Jul. 7, 1997, discloses a reinforced strip display assembly which is capable of supporting high volumes of smaller impulse merchandise and which includes an elongate and planar shaped reinforced body which is suspended in a freely swinging manner from a horizontally extending upper bracket. The reinforced body includes a plurality of apertures formed in front and rear planar faces and which are capable of receiving individual merchandise support members. The bracket further includes one or more hook portions which engage the upper end of the elongate body to array the body in its freely suspended manner a spaced distance from the shelving construction.
Applicant's preceding application Ser. No. 09/225,671, filed Jan. 5, 1999, discloses a merchandising display structure mounted to a vertical support surface and including at least one horizontally extending and adjustable member which is secured at one end to the vertical support surface and which at the opposite end supports an elongate and substantially flattened display member. The display member includes receiving means at spaced intervals therealong for receiving a volume of merchandise. According to alternate preferred embodiments, the display member can further include first and second parallel spaced grid patterns of interlocking wire elements which establish first and second faces. The display member may also include an elongated and substantially flattened sheet of material, such as a durable polymer construction and having disposed therein a large plurality of apertures at spaced intervals.